Opinion

In the past couple of days, millions of people on social media, who don’t normally address animal cruelty, have expressed sorrow and outrage about the murder of Cecil, the beloved lion in Zimbabwe. While we have people’s attention, how can we tap into these powerful emotions to awaken them to the plight of other animals who are equally deserving of a life free from harm? How can we help people connect the dots between Cecil, who endured 40 hours of agony, and the billions of farm animals whose entire lives are consumed by suffering?

Please use this rare moment in time when the world is paying attention to ensure that Cecil did not die in vain and that his murder is wake-up call to the millions of people who have not made the connection between the animals we love – like lions, whales and dogs – and the animals we consume. They are all the same.

One easy way to help people make the connection is to share these images on Facebook and convey your thoughts about why farm animals deserve to live in peace just as much as Cecil.

Think this is a difficult question. No doubt the killing of Cecil has provided an exceptional level of attention to animal issues. But there’s a delicate balance here. On the positive side, people can be drawn into considering all of the many issues involving animals. The risk is that flooding the airwaves with peripheral issues may cause many people to start ignoring this story and it’s implications. Perhaps we’re better off to focus on issues involving hunting at this moment. I’m not for or against connecting to other issues at this point, just wondering.

Animal cruelty, brutality! The minds of these peope are all twisted! STOP THE INSANITY! These animals are petrifeid beyond their minds! It’s sick what how they are treated! There is always a better way to do things! Take the RIGHT steps! Ignorance is not bliss! Ignorance is ignorance, no matter how you look at it!

I put animals on the planet for you people to eat, yet you people ate my Apple. It old you not to eat the Apple, but you ate the Apple. This is why I wipe out 10,000 of you a year because you’re all dumb.